Even though I know what happens to the best-laid plans on first contact with the enemy (in my case, reality), I can’t help myself. I love making lists and setting goals. And the new year is such a perfect excuse for doing so, how can I resist?
This year I resolve:
To write 25K words every month. This is not that big of a stretch for me. I can write over 1K a day easily when I’m in my writing routine. It’s consistency I need to work on. I’ll have a few great writing months followed by burnout (or is it a lying fallow period? I can’t decide). It’s also hard for me to balance first draft writing with all the other aspects of publishing.
The 25K words, by the way, includes work on all my other side projects. If it’s fiction, it goes into the monthly word pot. In the past, I’d lock myself into working on particular stories and then waffle about, not writing, if that stalled for some reason.
As always, I’m using my husband’s WriteTrack to measure my progress.
To publish the third installment of The Sunless World series. Unless the series takes off, Flare is the last book. I’m 85K into writing it and expect to finish the first draft this month. A mid-year release is a reasonable goal from my current vantage point.
If the series does get popular, I have very broad sketches of two more books. Working titles: Lune and Flow.
To write all four novellas of The Shadow Lands. I planned this as a series and I have a complete outline of the first book. I even cheated on my current WIP to write the first scene over the weekend. Sorry, Flare. It’s hard to compete with the New Shiny.
The Shadow Lands is a romantic fantasy with paranormal elements. In a quasi-Regency setting. I tried so hard not to cross genres with this one. And what did I do? Crossed genres. You may laugh, but the series concept started out as a bit of sweet Regency romance fluff. Then the dead bodies started piling up. My fluff grew fangs!
To look after myself. Healthy eating, regular exercise, enough sleep. ‘Nuff said.
I reserve the right to revisit and readjust these goals as necessary. I’m fully prepared to jump ship to more marketable projects if need be.
What about you, gentle writers and worthy readers? What are your resolutions for this brand-spanking-new year?
I’m all about revision this year. I have to do enough that I have polished finished products. Last year I wound up with a monstrous raw word count and not much revision. I’m aiming at twenty minutes a day.
But think how much fun it’ll be to release all those stories this year. 😀
I know what you mean, seriously. There are times all I want to do is write a bunch of first drafts, just one after the other.